Roman-Style Artichokes: The Authentic and Traditional Simple and Quick Recipe
The Roman-style artichokes are one of the undisputed excellences of Latium and Roman cuisine. You might wonder why I, with my Sicilian roots, decided to offer you a side dish with regional origins different from mine. The answer is very simple: they are extraordinary!
The secret of a “butter-like” texture
In addition to the genuine flavor, what makes this dish unique is the particular stewed cooking method (almost steaming). This process ensures an artichoke texture so tender that it literally melts in your mouth. If you are looking for a healthy vegetarian side, this recipe is the ideal choice because it enhances the quality of the raw material with very few fats.
Why prepare Roman-style artichokes?
One of the main advantages, besides the goodness, is the speed: the artichokes are prepared in very little time and with basic pantry ingredients like garlic, Roman mint, and extra virgin olive oil. The strengths of this recipe are that it is ready in less than 30 minutes, but even more the lightness of cooking with little oil and water, ideal for a balanced diet. Finally, the versatility because these artichokes pair perfectly with meat dishes or as a typical party appetizer.
All that’s left is to try your hand at preparing: follow my advice for the cleaning of artichokes and discover how to turn this vegetable into a masterpiece of Roman tradition!
All “vegan” recipes are devoid of meat and/or fish, nor can there be the use of other foods based on animal proteins, such as eggs and cheeses.
If like me, you love artichokes and want to experiment with other recipes featuring this wonderful vegetable as the protagonist, you absolutely must also try these ideas:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Steam cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 6 artichokes
- 1 cup ml white wine
- 1 Lemon juice
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- 6 leaves mint
- 3 1/2 oz ml extra virgin olive oil (+ to taste)
- to taste chili pepper
- 1 pinch Salt
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Terrine
- 1 Knife
- 1 Casserole
- 1 Lid
- 1 Parchment paper
Preparation
Wash and clean the artichokes*, discarding the toughest leaves. Also recover the stems, leaving them about 2/3 of their height. Remove the tougher part with the help of a sharp knife. Wear food-grade latex gloves during this operation to avoid staining your hands. Rub the artichokes with lemon juice and then immerse them in acidulated water to prevent oxidation.
Meanwhile, in a terrine, make a chop of parsley, mint, crushed garlic or finely chopped, salt and chili, then mix everything with the oil.
Take the artichokes and drain them well from the leftover water by hitting them a little on the work surface. Spread the previously prepared aromatic chop between the inner leaves, letting it penetrate between the leaves and massaging the outer leaves as well.
In a large, thick-bottomed casserole, arrange the seasoned artichokes and drizzle with a generous round of oil.
Add the white wine and about 1 glass of water, until reaching 1/3 of their height.
Cover everything with parchment paper or dampened and squeezed bread paper, which will only serve to retain moisture.
Close the pot with a lid and once it starts boiling, lower the heat and cook for about 25′-30′*. During cooking, occasionally shake the casserole, but do not touch the artichokes. After the time has elapsed, uncover and check the cooking, they will be ready when they are very tender and the prongs of a fork easily sink in.
Serve them hot on a serving plate, seasoning them with the remaining dressing. And voilà… the Roman-style artichokes are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di Fefè!
Storage
👉Store the Roman-style artichokes in the refrigerator for 2-3 days inside a food container with a lid. If necessary, heat them in a pan with a drizzle of oil or for a few minutes in the microwave.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣*The choice of the artichoke is the first step for a recipe according to tradition: the best artichoke to use is the Romanesco IGP Artichoke, also called cimarolo or mammola, a large, thornless artichoke, round and compact in shape, green with violet hues that is suitable for stuffing. The texture is particularly tender and the flavor sweet. The season for this artichoke is from January to May, but the ideal period to taste it begins at the start of March and ends at the end of April. Alternatively, you can also use purple artichokes (also called violino), considering some factors: they need more cooking time as they are less tender than mammole, and they have thorns with the beard, which if too large should be removed during cleaning.
🟣**The cooking time varies depending on the size of the artichokes, but keep in mind that the dressing should reduce considerably and the artichokes should be very soft when pierced with the prongs of a fork.
Is it possible to omit the wine during the preparation of the recipe?
You can omit the wine if you want to adapt this dish for children, in that case, you will need to add an extra 1 cup of water.
